Stay Strong Book One of Shrink
by KatnissTheWitch
Summary: Dani is a girl from district 8 who is thrown into the Hunger Games with her enemy, the only twist is that the arena is Shrinking forcing the tributes closer to each other as the pool grows smaller.
1. Chapter 1

Dani paces the carpet of her bedroom, brushing her hair. This was reaping day, a day she's dreaded since her older brother was killed in the games when she was twelve. She stopped blonde hair finally soft and silky. She peaks into her closet, only two nice outfits hanging there, one of hers and the other her older sisters.

Her sister, being the oldest, at 18, had the most entries, but Dani was not far behind at 15. She frowned as she undressed and slipped into her dress. It was getting a little tight; she would need a new one for next year. She pulled her hair up into a simple bun and dashed downstairs and grabbed a piece of stale toast. She nibbled on the corner as her mom walked into the room. She smiled, "it's okay Dani, they won't pick you." She said, but Dani could tell she was worried. They had already lost her older brother. This was a quarter quell, but they never told what the twist was. The only thing they knew was that it would be released _after _the tributes were chosen.

Dani had never really had many nightmares about being chosen, the only one she had, had was being chosen with her lifelong bully, Zane Caron, he had always hated her for an unknown reason. He would always be chosen with her and he would chase her down and kill her in some different twisted way, every night.

She hugged her mom and slowly made her way out the door. She walked down the quite empty road; it was dead silent until she heard a loud burst of laughter behind her and the sharp sting of a pebble on her back. She continued walking, trying to ignore the constant slap of another rock or pebble. She knew it would bruise. "Hey, Looney!" Zane shouted from behind her. She ignored it and continued and continued walking. Dani heard the pounding of feet behind her, and a foot kicks her in the back of her knee, making her crash to the ground. Her elbows smash in the ground, dirt getting all over her dress. She pulls herself from the ground and walks checks into the reaping. Standing with the fellow 15 year olds she dusts off her dress, and the district escort mounted the stage.


	2. Chapter 2

Dani stood in her place as the escort introduced the reaping. She swayed in her place, sweat building up on her hands.

"Welcome! Happy Hunger Games!" the escort said, Dani couldn't tell if it was a guy or girl, she thought it was a girl. "Welcome! I'm Grass!" Dani made a face, what kind of name was Grass? "Today is reaping day!" Grass said. "First for our girl tributes!" Grass took small steps toward the giant bowl. She reached a hand in, "Dani Sundew!" Dani froze, she was a tribute. "Dani!" Grass shouted. Dani turned to the girls around her, they had scattered, and she turned again and walked to the stage, sun glaring in her eyes. "And now," Grass said, "For our boys." She slowly walked to the boys bowl, Dani's heart had stopped. She pulled out a name, and Dani wasn't breathing. "Zane Caron!" she said.

Dani felt as though she had been hit in the gut. She froze as he walked up, smirking. The escort, Grass made them shake hands, and as they turned to walk in Zane turned to Dani and said, "Never thought I would be excited to go into the Games," he then turned and entered his own room.

Dani sat waiting in her room when her mom and dad rushed in crying. "It's okay," her mom said sitting down to stroke her hair. Her dad stood against the wall, not speaking. Dani leaned into her mom's shoulder, allowing herself to be venerable for the last time. "I don't want to go," she said, the words caught in her throat, like a nasty cough. "I want to stay home." She choked out. Her mom allowed her to stay close, "You'll be alright, I promise." Dani nodded and whipped her eyes. The door opened and a peacekeeper barked that time was up. Dani and her parents hugged one last time, as she hugged her dad; he slipped something leather into her hand. "I love you guys!" she said as they left. The door slammed and Dani was left holding the small piece of leather.

She sat on the small couch in the room and got a good look and the piece of leather, it was a small bracelet with the words, "Stay Strong," on a small silver plate. She felt a tear on her face, and she whipped it away, she couldn't cry.

The door opened again and her sister slipped in, Dani put the bracelet on her wrist and stood up, "I want to stay home," she whispered into her sister's hair. "I know." She replied. For a few moments they just looked at each other than her sister looked at her and said, "He's going to be after you." Dani nodded, she knew, "Just stay away from him and Stay Strong." The door opened again and Dani's sister was pulled out, and the door slammed again.

A few minutes later, a peacekeeper opened the door and Dani was pulled out, into the waiting train, where she would see her mentor and partner. She walked and the words Stay Strong echoed in her head.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry it's so short. :( I'll have another one up tonight, maybe two. Please Read and Review!**

Dani waited in the dining car of the train, speeding toward the Capitol. She jumped when the door slammed, her mentor and Zane walking in. Dani watched the two make their way to the table and sit. Her mentor beside and Zane across. "I'm Heidi," she said, "You're mentor." Heidi had gone to the Games the same year as Dani's brother, and had come back home.

"I'm Dani," she said.

"Zane," Zane said, looking at the mentor, "And before you ask, we would like to be trained separately." He said, looking darkly at Dani. Dani nodded.

"I see," Heidi said, "Well, that will be okay, I guess." She said, nodding at the two of them. "Zane, if you would like to go, I would like a word with Dani." Zane got up and left the room, quickly.

Dani looked at the ground, "What." She said.

"I want to be you're friend. I want you to go home." Heidi said.

Dani nodded not looking up, "Zane doesn't." she said, "He will do whatever he can to keep me from going home."

Heidi nodded, "He doesn't like you, I've noticed." Dani nodded and got up quickly, dashing from the room, already feeling sick. She didn't have anything to hide. Not now anyway. She ran from the car, strait to a bathroom, she leaned over the toilet, sick. She pushed herself against the wall, breathing heavily, tears streaming down her face.

She stood up and forced herself to stop, she got up and looked into the mirror, she washed her face and left the car, embarrassed about getting so worked up. She heard a shout from the other room. She walked in, and looked out the window. They were in the Capitol.


	4. Chapter 4

Dani is dragged off the train as soon as it pulls in and is hastily pushed into a room to be prepared for the tribute parade.  
"Hi!" her prep team chirped, one by one. "We will prepare you for Daffodil." Dani signed and turned herself over. _What's the point in struggling?! _She thought.

She was poked and prodded until every last hair was ripped from her leg; every strand of her air was strait and shiny. Until her nails were perfectly shaped, eyeliner and mascara formed her large eyes; other make up softened her face. Then she three people stood back and eyed her body carefully. "You good!" piped one of the three. "I'll get Daffodil!" another said. The others nodded and they dashed out of the room, leaving Dani in the quite.

Dani sat on the table nearby and waited, wondering how absurd her stylist would be. She kicked her feet, awed by how plain they were nothing could be seen on the tanned skin. She smiled, she could get used to it, the food, the looking nice.

Dani looked up as the door banged open. "Hello." His words curved as he spoke them, "I am vour stylist. I vill help you look," he looked her up and down scowling, "'acceptable'. I vill do as I say, you vill not fight vith me. I vill dress you and you vill vere it. Understand?" Dani nodded, this man was kind of scary, his ears had four of five earing each, his bright green hair shimmered, and he had blue green makeup to "complement" his hair. "Put this von. Now." He handed her a gray bag. She unzipped it as he tapped his foot impatiently. She sipped it over her head, not looking at it. It was heavy. She opened her eyes and looked in the mirror. She was in a dress made only of metal. She was tacked aback by the large shiny "dress". She gasped and turned to the guy standing there. "What. Is. This?!" she asked. "Of you vill understand soon enough. Your _friend chose_ between to different outfits, said this von for you, and another vor him."

"What does it do?" Dani asked.

"Just wait." He said smiling slyly. Then he backed out slowly leaving Dani alone.

"What does he have in store for me?" she thought aloud, "Anything _he _likes can't be good."


End file.
